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I wanted to share some of the overall impressions I had of
General Conference from each talk. This post will be about Saturday morning session. I won’t share all my notes, but focus on
highlights.

Elder Henry B. Erying (12)

I was touched by his admonition to pray for different
parties—choir, speakers, people praying-- as they participated in
conference.His major focus seemed
to be for everyone to be spiritually prepared to listen, or barring that, that
everyone could have a softening of the heart.This was an excellent introductory talk. It’s like the Lord
was saying, “Prepare your hearts! Listen up!And even listen to the parts that don’t seem as important!”

His words about the importance of testimonies at the end of
talks helped me listen more closely to those parts. In the past, the ending
testimony part of conference talks has felt like sort of obligatory and tacked
on, but this time I really noticed and appreciated it.

Sister Mary R. Durham (2nd counselor Primary
presidency)

Her story touched me. If you remember, it was about the
father who was weighed down by his shoes as he swam across the lake with one of
his children.While I know this
talk mostly focused on helping children have spiritual experiences, I felt to
ask myself, “What worldly things are weighing me down in my life?”So I’ve been trying to make some
changes to kick off some sins that too easily beset me.

Donald L Halstrom (?)

Elder Halstrom’s main message was about how our knowledge
that we are sons and daughters of God can give us strength and power and
motivate us to keep our covenants. I feel I get wrapped around the axle with
such tiny troubles, and I think remembering my divine identity will help me
overcome better.

I loved the story Elder Halstrom told of his daughter
writing her answer to the question “You’ve drunk a witch’s brew. What happened
to you?”I loved that his daughter
took the question so seriously, even to imagining what it would be like in heaven
after she died from the witch’s brew.I think that demonstrates how when we have been well-trained in the
gospel, it permeates our imaginations and we see the world through its frame of
reference and even can use it in our imagination.

I appreciated his stories of the Saints in Africa and the
zeal they put into gathering for regional conference and singing “How Firm a
Foundation.” Their zeal is so encouraging, and their stories give me better
perspective on my life.(I also
appreciated that the News and World Report included at least a small snippet of
their singing.)

Gary E Stevenson (12)

I love how he took a story about losing his keys while
skiing and made that the basis of his talk about priesthood keys.Great question – “Where are the
keys?”It made me really
glad that we are no longer locked out of saving ordinances and that the
priesthood has been restored.

Kevin R. Duncan (70)

I was fascinated by his story of how he was able to get the
splinter out of his finger with continued applications of ointment and a
bandage. (I’ve had some nasty
splinters and cactus spines bother me for a while, so I’m going to try his
method next time.) I liked how he applied this to how using Christ’s atonement
can help us forgive.I’ve
heard talks about how Christ can help us heal after we’ve forgiven, but the
principle that He can help us forgive is just as powerful.Some offenses we can find it in our
hearts to forgive, but others are so painful that we need help.

He said, “We don’t need to be a victim twice; we can
forgive.”At first glance, it may
seem like this is saying we need not put ourselves at risk of being hurt a
second time by the person who offended us.And while that is true, I think it also implies that when we
don’t forgive, we are hurt by the offense twice as much (if not more).

Steven E Snow (70)

I found it really interesting that Elder Snow approached the
topic of humility by first talking about hymns of the church.When I held up a copy of the church’s
first hymnal, I think I exclaimed to my husband, “It’s so small and cute!”And just think—today we can have all
our hymns on a smartphone, and more besides.(Insert marveling-over-technology noises here)

I appreciated the reminder to be humble. Humility is pretty
counter-cultural right now when everything and everybody is described or
complimented as “awesome.”

Elder Renlund (12)

I thought his observation was quite profound when he said,
“The greater the distance between the giver and receiver, the more the receiver
gets a sense of entitlement.”And
showing how it was also true spiritually was illuminating, with comparisons
between Nephi and Laman and Lemuel.I can look back and see some spiritual entitlement in my life, so the
counsel to draw nearer to God will be helpful.

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About Me

Michaela Stephens

Arizona, United States

I'm a happily married 32-year old who switched from Electronic Engineering Technology to Literature, Writing, and Film.
I worked for 3 years at ASU as a writing tutor and have over 400 sessions worth of experience helping people with their writing.
I'm the oldest of seven children (5 boys, 2 girls)
I'm a bit of a neat freak and an undeniable bookworm.

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